Ball-bearing-retaining device



R. M. KEATING. BALL BEARING RETAINING DEVICE.

(No Model.)

No. 581,730. Patented my 4,1897.

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ROBERT M. KEATING, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

EALL BEAi'il NG-PZE'TA EN l NG DEVICE.

SPIEGEIFTUZATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 581 ,"230, datedMay 4, 1897.

- Application filed May 23, 1896.?Serial No. 592,724. (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom it nmy concern.-

Be it known that l, ROBERT M. KEATING, a citizen oi the Unit-ed Statesof America, residing in Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful lmprovementsin Ball-RengDevices for BalhBearings, of which following is specification, referencebe ing had to the accompanying drawings, and letters of reference markedthereon.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device forretaining the balls of ialhbearings in positiomespecially with referenceto wheels for bicycles and other wheelvehicles, wherein it is desirableto clean the parts without removing the balls and wherein the balls maybe easily removed when desired, and. generally for any ball-bearingwhere the device may be applicable.

My object is, further, to provide a simple means for retaining the ballsin positiomso that the operative portion of a bearing may be separatedand reassembled without dam ger of the balls being lost, and soconstructed that part may be sprung up or bent slightly and sufficientroom provided to allow the balls to be removed and to be returnedthrough the same channel.

1i accomplish the, objects of my invention o by the employment of a ringhaving a part capable of being moved from its normal 'position to allowthe passage of the balls.

In the accom an in drawin s in which it) b 7 like letters of referenceindicate like parts,

Figure 1 is an end view of a bicyclewheel hub, showing the balls in theball-case and showing my retaining-ring applied thereto. is a like viewwith the retaining-ring removed. Figs. 3and at are side and edge viewsof a ring detached from the hub. Fig. 5 is a side View of a ringillustrating a modification in the shape of the part adapted to be bentor sprung up. Fig. (3 is a like view illustrating a modification whereina latch coi'ers an opening. Fig. 7 is a like view illustrating anothermodification wherein three tongues or parts are provided, any one ofwhich may be bent or sprung up to provide room for the passage of theballs. Fig. 8.is a like view illustrating another modification whereinone end of the body of the ring may be Inoteds Lliciently toflllOWfllllB lJfi-llS to thin sheet metal or it may annealed.

The construction of my device will be'readily understood on reference tothe drawings, wherein I illustrate a ring preferably made of thin sheetmetal resting within the-inner edge of the ball case or receptacle inthe hub and having the central portion cutaway sufficiently I part ofthe ball-bearing, so that the bearingsurface for the balls Will-come toits proper position'ivithoutbeing-interfered with by theball-retainin gring, the ring being on'lyof sufficient width to just prevent thepassage ofthe halls between the edge of the ring and the ed gt of theball-holding case-or receptacle.

At one or more places in the ring I provide an opening, which opening isclosed or partially closed by aprojecting tongue, which tongue ispreferably formed integral with the body of the ring. This ring may bemade of be oi spring metal In order to remove the balls, simply becomesnecessary to' spring of; bend the tongue (I outwardly a triflingdistance sufficiently to provide a passage-way for a s'ingle'ballbetween the upturned edge of the tongue and the inner edge of theball-case, when it will readily be seen the balls may all be removed oneafter the other, and after being suitably cleaned they may be returnedto. place through the same opening, and if the device is made to permitthe insertion of the other of annealed or soft metal itsimply becomesnecessary to bend the tongue back to its normal position and the ballswill thereafter be retained in placeuntil the tongue be again moved, asbefore described.

To provide against the possibility of a single tongue being bent sogreat a number of times as to cause fracture, I show-in Fig. 7 a ringprovided with three tongues, which may be used alternately, and thusdanger of a tongue being broken by being continually bent will belargely avoided.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a construction wherein the tongue d while being,as before described, integral with the ring, its shape differs in thatinstead of its being formed by a cut at each side the cut starts at apoint'in the inner edge of the ring and gradually approaches theexterior edge until a sufficient width of tongue is provided, so thatupon being bent up it will leave an opening suflicient for the passageof the balls.

In Fig. 6 I show a tongue 01, formed sepai'ateland attaehed-tothe ring,tlieiid portion of the tongue arranged to project over an opening inthering.

In Fig. 8 I illustrate a construction wherein instead of the tonguebeing cut out, of or attached to the body 1 form the ring of a singlepiece, the ends, however, and while the bulk of the .body of the ringwill be held in position by its natural tendency tospring open eitherend'may be forced outwardly a sufiicient distance-to permit the balls topass. y

In Figs. 9 and 10 I illustrate a construction wherein the holding-ringis made of a continuous piece formed in a flat helix, the innerconvolutions of which may be sprung outwardly, as illust ated in Fig.10, so as to free the balls.

Having therefore described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, isv '1. Incombination with a ball-bearing hub, an independent ball-retaining ringfixed in the hub atone side, of the ball-channel and having a movablepart adapted to be moved to allow of the passage of the balls while thenot being united,

passage. is provided 2 Q ze1,7ao

major portion of the ring remains in position in the hub, substantiallyas shown.

2. The combination with a ball-bearing hub, of a ball-retaining ringfixed in the hub and having a part adapted to be bent or sprung from itsnormal position to permit the passage of the balls, substantialb as andfor the purposes stated;

3. The combination with a ball-bearing hub,.ofaball-retaining-r'rng-having a tongue formed integral therewith, andcovering a portion of the channel, and adapted to be moved from itsnormal position to permit the removal of the balls, substantially asshown.

4, The combination having a ball-channel open at one side, ofaball-retaining ring fixed in the hub at the open side only of theball-channel and extending toward the center of the hub to close thechannel sufiiciently to prevent removal of the balls, and having anopening for the passage of the balls laterally through it, and a tongueto close said opening, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

5. The combination of a hub, a ball-cup fixed therein, a ring fixed inthe opening in the hub adjacent to the open side of the ballcup, tocover the balls sufliciently to prevent escape and .with a part adaptedto be moved without displacing the ring-body, whereby a for the balls,substan tially as shown.

. ROBERT M. KEATING. Witnesses: ALLEN WEBSTER,-

P. B. PHELAN.

with a ball-bearing hub

